The Sheikh's Secret

by Knight, Kylie

  The bungalow was silent as he crept to his room in hopes of grabbing a shower without disturbing Shala. He didn’t have to worry about that since his bed was empty and her frantically discarded clothing was nowhere to be found. Zadir knew he shouldn’t feel disappointed over that fact, but he did. What did you expect after you abandoned her in your bed, dumbass? Disgusted with the entire situation, he closed himself into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower.

  When he emerged from his bedroom twenty minutes later, the common rooms were still free of Shala’s presence. He couldn’t help but wonder where Shala had disappeared to. Was she still asleep? Did she decide to have breakfast at the hotel? Then he heard it, the sound of her phone ringing. It stopped abruptly, so he knew she was still here, yet she decided to stay in her room. “Good,” he muttered to himself. He needed to focus on Sun Energy and how he would convince them to sell it to him rather than another solar company. He wouldn’t be able to focus with Shala at his side, so he quickly sucked down his coffee and slipped out of the bungalow while she talked on the phone. He felt a pang of unease at his actions, especially after the night they shared. The gift she’d given him.

  But he needed to maintain his focus. That had always been his problem in the past. He was easily distracted, by girls and parties, impromptu vacations, nightclubs and anything shiny and fun. It was why his baby sister ran the company while he had to prove himself. Given all of her hard work to help him, he felt guilty for leaving without a word, but right now she was the distraction. Shala was the reason his head wasn’t in the game and he knew she would understand.

  He hoped she would.

  But as the driver stopped in front of Sun Energy Makers, all thoughts of Shala fled. At least they mostly did. There were times, when he chatted with the important figureheads, that he wished for her research or a small encouraging smile. But he’d left her behind for a reason, so he got down to the business of charming them and selling them.

  “Your Highness, we are worried that your interest in SEM has nothing to do with our product. Thousands of islanders rely on us for their employment.” Their spokesperson was a young Spanish man with good looks and a friendly demeanor called Fernando.

  Zadir sat tall and relaxed into the people across the table from him with a smile. “First, please call me Zadir. I am a businessman first. Now, I understand your concern but you have no reason to worry. I am interested in SEM because of what it produces. It’s no secret Jovanbar doesn’t have endless oil reserves, and my plan is to look to the future, which we are standing in. Solar and wind energy are the future and since I’m not bound to oil, my future is now.” His words seemed to appease the small group gathered today. “Nothing will change except I will have one or two of my people here to oversee operations. So you see, nearly all of the jobs are safe.”

  Fernando stood and gave a sharp look to the others, who quickly vanished. “I think we should tour the facility, yes?”

  Zadir agreed and spent the next two hours learning how solar panels were made, new solar technology and speaking with his future employees. “I like Rafael,” he said as they returned to the conference room. “He seems like a straightforward, capable guy.” He admired hard work and intelligence and based on his input, Rafael had it in abundance.

  “He is the best floor manager we’ve ever had. He’s organized, always thinking about ways to improve productivity without overworking the employees and he’s dedicated to his job.” Fernando clapped his hands once. “So, shall we talk about finalizing this deal?”

  Zadir gave his best satisfied smile and it stayed glued to his face the entire ride back to the bungalow. The contracts were in the hands of the lawyers now, but soon Sun Energy Makers would join the Alzari Holdings family. He couldn’t wait to tell Shala and his father, but her reaction would give him more satisfaction.

  He was still smiling when he opened the door and entered the bungalow. “Shala! I have great news,” he walked into the living room and found it empty. “Where are you, we need to celebrate!” He checked her room and his, the pool area and the beach. Empty.

  Shala wasn’t there.

  * * *

  Shala was angry. She was pissed off and she wanted to scream. It was her own stupid fault for letting her hormones and her feelings get the better of her. She should have kept her clothes on and her legs closed and she wouldn’t feel like a discarded article of clothing. That was the primary source of her aggravation and anger. She’d woken up in the middle of the night and reached across the bed to find it not only empty, but cold. A quick trip to the kitchenette for water and she was surprised to find Zadir asleep on the couch. He hadn’t just fallen asleep, as evidenced by the pillow and sheet. She’d known right then what was happening. Zadir had gotten what he wanted and he was done.

  Well, she was done too. She’d marched back to his room, grabbed her clothes and went to her room where she washed away all traces of his scent. She got rid of every trace of him, except for the aches in her muscles, and fell into a fitful sleep.

  When the pesky sun decided that her closed eyes were the perfect spot to shine, she got up and got dressed for their meeting with Sun Energy Makers. Refusing to have any type of conversation with Zadir, Shala stayed in her room and took a series of calls from the office with an eye on the clock. She’d caught up with her boss and sent the Sheikh a report on their newest acquisitions. Thirty minutes before the meeting she finally exited her bedroom only to find Zadir had already left.

  Without her.

  She shrugged it off and changed into a sundress with canvas shoes and a large brimmed hat. I guess all that time I spent alone in childhood would finally come in handy, she thought as she set about sightseeing on the island. It was a beautiful place, so full of vibrant colors and kind people. She’d eaten lunch at a seafood restaurant where she was befriended by an American couple on vacation, and then strolled through the street market and purchased several trinkets and mementos.

  She hadn’t minded the alone time, only resented the reason behind it. By the time she’d finished walking around, her skin was a toasty brown color and she was feeling sun fatigue, and decided to head back to the bungalow. Her wish for Zadir to be anywhere but the bungalow went unanswered. He sat on the sofa, flipping channels.

  “Shala, where have you been? I’ve been worried.”

  “I was out.” She looked at him and she could admit, to herself at least, that he looked worried. It didn’t matter, not anymore. She was done caring about his feelings, caring about him. She needed to keep it professional because she liked her job, but his actions spoke volumes about what he really thought or felt about her.

  “Out where?”

  “On the island. Why are you asking so many questions?”

  “I came back and you weren’t here.”

  She shrugged and brushed past him. “I had the day off and decided to see the sights.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Zadir followed her to her suite. “We closed the Sun Energy Makers deal! Now it’s up to the lawyers.”

  Her heart ached at the bright smile on his face, seeking approval for a job well done. She wouldn’t disappoint. He was the boss, after all. “Congratulations, Zadir. The Sheikh will be pleased.” She took off her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to speak or leave.

  “Let’s go celebrate!” He stepped inside her room and grabbed her hand, pulling her off the bed and into his arms.

  Shala closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, slowly letting it go. She shouldn’t feel so good, so at home in his arms. But she did, god help her, she did. She took a few seconds to savor the warmth before she pulled back. “No thanks, Zadir. I’ve had a long day and the sun tired me out. I’m going to relax around here. You go…have fun.” She gently pushed him out of her room and gave him a sad look before she closed the door on him. And let the tears fall.

  Six

  Shala was mad at him and Zadir had no idea why. He couldn’t think of one thing he’d done that would cause such a dra
stic change in her attitude. Instead of celebrating closing the deal with SEM, he’d sat in front of the TV eating room service, brooding. Five. That’s how many times he stood up and went to Shala’s door intending to knock. Of course he’d knocked a total of zero times. A man had his pride, after all.

  The next morning they rushed around the bungalow in silence, packing in preparation for their flight to Italy. This would be the last stop before he needed to return to Jovanbar for the family dinner. He needed to speak to a few local artisans he’d come across over the years about providing goods for The Crown Jewel resorts. He wanted specialty items that guests wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. It was all in service to getting what he’d worked for all his life.

  If he had to endure a little tension on his way there, so be it. He had no idea what he’d done wrong, so he refused to apologize to Shala. If she wanted him to be sorry about something, she would have to tell him. As it stood, she said nothing to him other than a few one word answers. He’d offered to order breakfast for two before their flight, but she’d begged off, claiming a need to rush a few press releases about his acquisitions. So he’d eaten alone and in silence, listening to the light tap tap of her keyboard.

  Now she sat as far away from him as possible while still being on board the jet. His frustration was turning to anger, and letting it show wouldn’t help matters at all. Try as he might, he couldn’t think of one thing he’d done that would give Shala cause to act like he was her enemy. She’d given him her virginity in the single best night of sex of his entire life, and stopped talking to him as though he had the plague.

  “Dammit,” he smacked the seat in front of him, but not even his outburst could shake her icy demeanor. They’d been at cruising altitude for a while so he stood and went to the bedroom in back to make a phone call. “Sorry,” he practically spat when his knee knocked against her elbow. She said nothing.

  He slammed the door shut, not caring that he’d nearly broken it or that it didn’t actually close. He punched his phone and quickly gave a gruff, “Hello? Sabrina I need to talk to you.” He could always count on his future sister in law to be the voice of logic and completely honest.

  “Hey Zadir, how’s it going?”

  He let out a long harsh breath. “Great. Horrible. How are you?”

  Her laugh echoed down the line. “Sounds…confusing, mate. I’m well, even though it’s hotter than shite here!” She muttered a few unintelligible curses and turned back to him. “What’s got you all twisted up, Zadir? A girl?”

  “Sort of, but not how you mean. It’s Shala. She won’t talk to me and I have no clue why.”

  “Did you ask her?”

  Zadir ignored the condescension in her tone. “No. Why would I do that?”

  She laughed. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “No! If she wanted to tell me what was wrong, she would have come out with it. I am not a mind reader, Sabrina!” He paced in the small bedroom, but his long legs only made about four steps in either direction.

  “Okay. Tell me everything that happened the day before she stopped talking to you.”

  He was silent for a long time, trying to decide how much he wanted to reveal. “I’d rather not.”

  There was a beat of silence before the line exploded with the sound of Sabrina’s laughter. “You shagged her! You totally did it with that sweet, sweet girl.”

  Zadir frowned. “I didn’t say that. She’s not a sweet girl, she’s a woman. Dammit, Sabrina why is she mad at me?”

  She laughed some more. “How the hell should I know? Jeez, you’re wound tighter than a guy who didn’t get laid.”

  “Sabrina,” he growled a warning.

  “So you had sex with sweet little Shala and then you did something to piss her off. Sound about right?”

  “Yes,” he sighed impatiently.

  “Okay let’s go slower. What happened after sex, did you cuddle, shower together, go again?”

  “She fell asleep and I went for a walk on the beach,” he spat out.

  “Then you returned and slid back into bed, wrapping your arms around her naked sated body, and then…?”

  Zadir grunted. “I came back from the beach, grabbed a pillow and slept on the sofa.”

  “Zadir!” Her shriek was so loud he pulled the phone away from his ear to preserve his hearing.

  “What?” He ran a hand over his face and through his hair. “I took her virginity and then I freaked out, alright?” He whispered furiously into the phone.

  Sabrina’s gasp was loud and worrisome. “You like her.”

  “I do not!” He paced faster and faster, stopping with a curse when his knee hit the bed.

  “You do! You totally like Shala!”

  “I do not like Shala!”

  “You’re a liar. You like her but you’re worried giving you her virginity means she’s ready to get married, so you acted like an idiot.” She made a sound of disgust that kicked him in the gut. “Newsflash Zadir. Giving you her virginity means she liked you and trusted you to make it good for her, not that she wants to have your babies. Bloody idiot!”

  “How am I to know?”

  “Well you don’t sleep in another room after you’ve robbed a girl of her virginity.”

  “Hey! I never stole anything. She gave it freely and willingly.”

  “I don’t need details you fool! Go make it right with her. See you soon.”

  She disconnected the call and he stood until his thoughts were interrupted by the flight attendant. “We’re preparing for descent, Your Highness.”

  He nodded and took a few deep breaths before heading back into the cabin to take his seat. He glanced over at Shala and instantly felt gutted. She was wiping away tears.

  * * *

  Stupid eavesdropping girl, she berated herself. What did she think would come of spying on Zadir and his private phone calls? That she would find out he was secretly in love with her and wanted to pursue a relationship? More like the exact opposite, he didn’t even like her! She flung herself on the plush leather seat and took several angry swipes at the tears that streamed down her face. I don’t like Shala! He couldn’t have been clearer.

  It was just sex. He’d seen her too lush curves and, like most men, couldn’t resist trying to own it for just a little while. She let out a long, slow breath to stem the flow of tears when she heard his heavy footfalls on the floor. Turning her face toward the window, she continued to wipe them away as the plane lowered into the beautiful—from the sky—city of Florence.

  By the time the plane had landed and they made it to the hotel—another suite—Shala had her emotions under control. Her tears were a thing of the past, but a quick shower and tons of moisturizer, and she looked close to normal. “Whatever that is,” she said and went to answer the knocking at her bedroom door. Of course, who else would it be? “Yes?”

  “Can we talk for a minute?” He looked sincere and a little lost, but she was unmoved.

  “Sure. What would you like to discuss,” she reached for her tablet, swiped a few times and looked up at him expectantly

  “You know I don’t want to talk about work. Us, Shala. I want to talk about us.”

  She held up her hand. “I don’t. There is no us. You wanted sex and I offered it up so I don’t blame you for taking it. Okay?”

  A painful groan ripped from his throat. “That’s not what happened at all, and you know it.”

  Her sigh was heavy with emotion. “I don’t know it, and it doesn’t matter anyway Zadir.” She stared at a spot just over his shoulder, her heart cracking and splintering in a million pieces to have him so close, to have her body react to his the way it did, all the time knowing how he felt. “Are we done?”

  He scowled down at her, bringing his face so close to hers she felt the warm air of his breath brush against her face. “For now.” Then he stormed off, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

  She shrugged and shut her own door. Things would be tense over the next few days, but soon
they would be back in Jovanbar and she could keep her distance for good. These trips had shown her what a good businessman he was. His instincts were sharp, his plans were solid and the deals he’d struck recently should prove to the Sheikh that Zadir was ready to lead the company into the next generation.

  And out of my life for good.

  * * *

  Italy was a mess. The first night in Florence, Shala had skipped dinner with him and accompanied him to cocktails and dessert with a candy maker he wanted to make items for The Crown Jewel gift stores. Her cocktails were to die for, and many of her candies contained various liqueurs. Shala asked plenty of questions and offered effusive praise to the plump young woman. It killed him to see her bright smile turned on someone else. Hell he would have liked to even have a frown aimed his way, but she never spared him a glance

  The next day they visited several different artisans all over the countryside. Each would provide their wares—cheese, tapenade, preserves and jewelry—on a trial basis. If Zadir was pleased they would receive five year contracts, which would change the lives of each artist for the better. Shala was pretty much silent every single moment they were alone. The drive in the back of the Town Car made things even more awkward, especially when she moved to the row of seats directly behind the driver.